*Season's P.O.V.*
I woke up, feeling like the weight of the whole world came down on me as I felt heavy. My eyelids felt heavy, my limbs felt heavy, in fact my entire body feels so heavy and uncomfortable. Something cold and wet came in contact with my arm and it made me flinch. Its coolness contrasting my burning body.
"Hush dear, you're burning." I heard mama say as she wiped the vinegar soaked cloth all over my exposed skin, probably to help tone down my fever. I tried to speak but I have yet another coughing fit, making it hard for me to breathe.
"Shouldn't we bring her to the hospital now?" That's my brother.
"Go on, get the car ready." Eden said. They must've noticed how I'm already struggling to breathe and all I want to do is curl on a ball, as if that would make me feel better. Minutes later, I heard shuffling and I felt Sean carry me in his arms, just like what he deos when I was younger.
"Season?" He whispered on my ears as he walked down the hall. Worry lacing his voice.
"Yeah? What's going on with me?" I asked weakly, feeling almost all the energy draining out of my system.
"Nothing serious, don't worry about it, you'll be fine." He assured. But I don't feel fine at all. I felt him put me down on the backseat, mama following suit. I tried to open my eyes but didn't do it because even doing that little act hurts. Maybe I dozed off cause the next thing I know is that, we're already in the hospital, waiting in line for the check up. We sat on a metal chair, mama and Sean flanking my sides, with Eden sitting beside Sean. I laid my head on mama's shoulder and just observed my surroundings through half-lided eyes. It wasn't long before we were called by the nurse.
"Can you walk?" Sean asked as he helped me up. I just nodded as he assissted me all the way to the clinic. When we got inside, the blast of the air conditioning unit had me trembling, despite the thick jacket that mama made me wear over my pajamas. Yes, I really don't have the strength to change.
"Hello Ms. Tarver." The doctor, who is a middle aged woman, greeted with a gentle smile. I just smiled in return. "Tell me, what brings you in today?" She asked.
"I..." I tested out my voice which came out hoarse, so I looked at Sean and the others as I felt a tingle in my throat again.
It was mama who explained on my behalf. "Yesterday, she started coughing and it worsened as the hours passed. Then, when I went to check on her this morning, she was burning." She started off.
"And, I find it hard to breathe." I let out, taking in as much air as I can, as if I'm gonna dive underwater. She nodded, looking at my vitals, which the nurse checked earlier. The height, weight, and the temperature, which reached 39°C, gosh.
"Come over here." She instructed, making me stand in front of her. She stood up as well and made me open my mouth wide. You know the drill as she used her apparatus to check on my throat for maybe some inflammation. Then, she placed the circle end of the stethoscope at my left chest, right where my heart is aligned and asked me to take deep breaths for her. She also did the same to my right chest, then to my back. "Okay..." She said as she made sit back down.
"What seemed to be the matter doc?" Eden asked when the doctor's mellow face turned sour. Is it that bad? I mean, is my condition that bad?
"Uhhh, you're saying this started yesterday. Correct?" She inquired.
"Yes." We almost answered in chorus. Yes, it was yesterday at dinner time. I suspected that I was only tired because of the events that happened the day before that but, I can't understand how my condition escalated so quickly.
"What were you doing before that anyways?" She asked. We all looked at each other, we can't say we fought a manananggal right? So what should we say?
"We were playing volleyball with friends because we visited their place the other day." I straight up lied and the others just nodded their heads. I mean, who could've thought of a more reasonable reason, except the truth, right?
She nodded slowly. Please, I know I'm not utterly convincing. I gulped and coughed, muttering a little 'excuse me'. "Maybe, you just got yourself under the weather dear. Other than that, it's not really serious because I don't see anything wrong with you actually." She concluded. What? I'm sure something's wrong with me. However, I felt relieved that she said what she said. "Anyways, just buy these meds, for your cough and fever." She added, giving me a list.
Of course I'm not one who can easily read a doctor's handwriting so, I don't really mind reading it. The pharmacist can do that. "Sige doc, salamat po." Mama said.
"Walang anuman." Well, that's the first time I heard her speak tagalog.
We went to the adjacent pharmacy and bought the meds prescribed by the doctor. We got on the car and sped towards home. As soon as we arrived at the house, my world started spinning and I almost fell just by the porch, if it wasn't for my brother who was quick to catch me by the waist and served as my crutches. "Are you alright?" He asked.
I was about to answer when I felt an urge to throw up and pivoted my body to the side and did just that. I threw Sean an apologetic look and he didn't really mind what happened to his tiled porch. Mama rushed back to my side as Eden said she's going to prepare something in the kitchen. Yes. I didn't really have breakfast. I don't know about them though. "Jusko..." Mama exclaimed and I looked back to the spot where I threw up and understood her reaction. I vomited blood.
I heard Sean curse beside me as another round of nausea hit me and I threw up again. More blood. Gosh! What the hell is going on with me? "Come on, let's get inside." Sean ushered as he just carried me in. I felt the urge to throw up again and I'm thankful that Sean placed me down in front of the sink. I held on to the side of the sink and threw up again. Still blood. Mama came to us with a cup, half filled with hot water and made me sip on it, to ease my system but that didn't quite work as I threw up again. The white lavatory stained with blood by now. "Should we take her back to the hospital?" Sean said, sounding really worried now.
"No." I was surprised at mama's answer. Isn't it just reasonable to take me back to the hospital? Perhaps, the doctor missed something? "Look." She pointed on the lavatory, horror painting her face. And when I looked at it, I felt like crying. The red blood started notably darkening until some of it actually turned black.
Mama..." I trailed off.
"I'll call Teodoro." She said and hurriedly went to get her phone.
I looked at Sean who's giving me an 'I don't know what's going on' look. "Let her have something." Eden said and my brother guided me to the table. I still feel really sick but I forced myself to eat something to not worsen my condition.
"Nasan sya?" We heard a voice say as the front door opened, a few minutes later. I knew I heard that voice before and I wasn't mistaken when I saw the albularyo that treated Collin, appear in the kitchen with mama. So, Teodoro is his name. He eyed me and immediately came to my side. "I knew we'd meet again." He whispered. Gosh, he's creepy.
Sean stepped aside as he laid his things on the table. He rubbed oil on his palms and wiped those on my forehead, down to my cheeks, until my shoulders, down to my palms. He gave it a quick massage and after that, he stood up. "Where is it?" He asked and mama led him to the sink where the blood that I threw up is still sitting. Apparently they're the only ones who understands whatever he is doing and I am not in the mood to be curious right now. Then, he came back to me with a heavy sigh. "You angered a dwarf." He said. What?
"I... What?" I asked. The heck? Then that little-old man I saw yesterday came to my mind. Shit. "How?"
"Let me see." He said as he went back to the sink, doing god knows what. "Apparently," he spoke after a few minutes, which made us turn to him, "you killed the woman he's betrothed to." He stated. My heart's beating became audible at his statement. This is it. This is exactly what I'm scared of, on those two instances that I had killed somebody. To have someone from their said who would avenge them, just like what I did for Shawn. Which I know is a mistake, by now.
"A-ano? Magagamot mo ba sya?" Mama asked. Probably guessing that, that dwart is betrothed to the manananggal. Which is really questionable because, that dwarf looks a lot older than that manananggal, but age doesn't matter that much after all, not that it's my concern right now.
"I can give her a temporary remedy, but I can't eradicate the curse that that dwarf casted on her." The albularyo answered. Curse? I'm cursed now? My chest felt suddenly heavy and my senses suddenly disappeared.
I felt like I was sucked into a dark abyss. An invisible current kept on pulling me downward while I tried to swim my way out of here. But, I feel like I'm going against a current too strong for me to withstand and that, it's only a matter of minutes before my limbs would give out and I'll actually drawn. Where am I though? What happened to me? And where is everybody? As soon as I thought of that, I found a new fervor. A new resolve or strength to somehow find my way out because I know that I'm not supposed to be here and that, I really need to get out of here, because they'll all be worried about me. However, how can I do that exactly? How can I get of this seemingly unending void? I can't see, and I can't feel anything around me, except for this heavy force that I'm trying to counter. How? How...
It's like the echo of my thoughts is fading away as I started hearing distant voices that surely doesn't belong to me. It's as if they're calling out to me, reaching out their hands to try and get me out of this place that I'm stuck in and I knew I took their hands as I felt all the air returning to my system and I took a huge chunk of oxygen, as if I was resurfacing from a long dive. I felt the sweat trickle down from my forehead and the place that I'm in became clearer. I'm in my room. Lying on the bed with Teodoro the albularyo, mama Ellen, and Sean with me, I felt confused when I saw their tensed looks until my brother engulfed me in a hug.
"Season... I thought I lost you." My brother said as I returned the embrace. I thought I'd die too. But I only thought that, cause I sure am alive.
"Salamat naman." I heard mama sigh as well as Teodoro.
"Mas malala pa pala ang sumpang iyo kaysa inakala ko." Teodoro said. I looked at him in question and he translated for me. "That curse was more powerful than I thought."
"So, you can't do anything for her?" My brother asked. I can't believe he'd be talking about these stuffs right now. Hell, we really don't believe much in paranormal phenomena.
Teodoro shook his head. "The only way to reverse that curse is to ask forgiveness from the dwarf himself." He provided. What? Is that really going to help me? Even if I begged that dwarf, the fact that I killed the one he loves weights more than my apologies! He won't buy it for sure. Plus, I'm not really in good shape right now.
"What? You mean we have to travel back to Antique to face that creature? My sister looks very weak. I'm not sure if it's safe for her to travel." Exactly what I'm thinking brother.
"But, we have got to take the risk." Mama butted in.
"You have a point Sean, infact she might not make it to Antique, alive." Horror flooded my system when I heard Teodoro say that.
"Isn't there anything that you can give to her?" Mama pleaded.
"It wouldn't be enough but, I know someone who can help." He looked at me strangely when he said that. "Let's get out of her room first." He added.
"No I'm not leaving my sister." Sean insisted.
"Listen, we don't have much time. Just follow me." Teodoro said it in a tone that holds no room for arguments, so my brother complied. Before he went out too, Teodoro said, "I know you're protected. So take everything that he can offer if you want to survive." Then he firmly closed the door. I don't have time to ponder upon what he said, not that I have the energy to because as soon he's out of the door, another person, or should I say, being, entered through the window.
"What-" I was gonna ask but he hastily cut me off with a dismissive compass of his arm. His expression telling me, he doesn't have time to explain. The typical face Kaloy makes when he wants something to be done first.
"You don't have much time, you heard him." Wow, even he is telling me that I'm about to die now. And yes, that's exactly what I felt too. "Drink this." He offered me a huge glass of sticky green liquid and its smell made me want to throw up. Seriously, if I die, the cause of my death would be dehydration.
"It's horrible!" I complained, wanting to spit out the small amount that I sipped.
"Don't you dare." Kaloy warned sternly. "Just, drink it okay?" He added, in a softer tone. I sighed and after, a rather challenging 15 minutes, I managed to drink it all. Honestly, I feel like a child being forced to drink medicine when she's sick. Gosh! This is horrible. "Water?" Kaloy offered yet another glass of a crystal clear liquid this time and I happily took it and emptied it.
"Can I have something like sugar?" I pleaded because the bitterness of whatever it is that he made me drink is still lingering in my food path.
"No." He answered sternly and I all but pouted. Curse this curse and everything about what's going on with me right now, I swear! "Go, change and tell them that you're ready to go."
"What? I have to simply say it like that?" I retorted. I mean, hello?
He sighed, somehow annoyed by now. Of course his patience never really lasts long. "The albularyo knows so you can simply say it like that." He said.
I slowly stood up on my feet and is surprised as I regained a good amount of strength. Gosh, that horrible drink was never for nothing thank goodness! But, what? "He knows? So he saw you?" I inquired. I did remember mama saying that Teodoro has an opened third eye.
"Yes." He answered and with that, hopped out of the window. So, I took that opportunity to change into something more decent and to get rid of the sweat and other filthy stuffs that's on my skin. Feeling fresh and well, renewed, but still pretty much nervous, I twisted the doorknob open.
The first one that greeted me was Sean, who was pacing back and forth down the hall, just outside my room. "Season! Wow, you look much better." He exclaimed. Yeah right?
"Yes, but not quite better yet. Where's Teodoro? We need to go to Antique now." I said as we started making our way downstairs.
"They just had a bit of a lunch break. I already gave Collin a call, telling him we'd be over in a few hours." He said. I looked at the time in the wall clock that reads 11:20, if we hurry, we can get there before the late afternoon.
"Season! Thank goodness you look much better!" Mama exclaimed as soon as she saw us approaching.
"Where's Eden?" I asked. Sitting on my spot in the dining area.
"Duty calls." Sean said as we started digging in on the food that mama prepared.
"We need to leave by twelve, so that we'd arrive much earlier." Teodoro said.
"Tell me, what is the deal with this dwarf? How am I supposed to plead for his forgiveness?" I asked. Just so I'd have an idea as to what I have to do when we reach there.
"Tuso ang mga dwendeng itim. They are cunning. So I suggest, you take whatever challenge he would give you but, you have to be wise enough to actually let him give you, his end of the deal. And one more thing, only ask for one thing from him. Make sure also to state it clearly cause as I said, they are cunning." He explained and I tried to take in whatever he said as I ate.
"Do they know how to speak English?" Cause if they don't, I don't know how the hell I'd get through with this.
Teodoro's face became worried. Uh-oh. "I don't think so." Double curse this curse! Surely I can't master up tagalog in just how many hours!
"So, we'll just teach you a bit of it on our way to the Jacob's." Mama said. Gosh! I remembered being caught by the Tikbalangs and Mr. Fernando Perez, teaching me a tagalog rhyme to break the spell on those golden hairs and damn! I found it difficult, and I don't even have to converse with someone to do that.
"We can give it a try." So, while we are in the car, Teodoro and mama taught me some tagalog phrases that, according to them, would help me in this endeavor. Gosh! This is harder than martial arts. But, I have to do it, if I want to survive. Hell, I don't want to die just yet. "So, I could say, ginawa ko lang iyon upang maligtas ang kaibigan ko, paano mo ba ako mapapatawad?" I said.
"Yes! Nailed it, now what would you say if he'd be like, mapapatawad lang kita kung magagawa mo ang nais ko." Mama challenged. And I just stared at her. What? What did she say? I focused and tried to comprehend that tagalog statement.
"Ugh! Wait a minute." I complained in frustration. Gosh.
"We don't have much time, we're here already." Teodoro announced as the car stopped by the gate as Collin approached us, opening it so my brother can drive in.
"I'm not yet ready!" Shit, shit, shit!